Manifold for molten material spray guns



April 22, 1952 M. A- SANDORA ET AL 2,594,222

MANIFOLD FOR MOLTEN MATERIAL SPRAY GUNS Filed Sept. 27, 1948 2SHEETSSHEET l 59 INVENTOR.

' MANUEL A. SA/VDOR/l Bg EG/L E. FREEMAN ATTORNEYS April 22, 1952 M. A.SANDORA ET AL 2,594,222

MANIFOLD FOR MOLTEN MATERIAL SPRAY GUNS Filed Sept. 27, 1948 2SHEE'IS--SHEET 2 84 INVENTOR. L MANUEL A. SA/VDORA a a/1. E. FREEMANATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 22, 1952 MANIFOLD FOR MOLTEN MATERIAL SPRAY GUNSManuel A. Sandora, San Francisco, and Cecil E. Freeman, SanCarlos,Calif., assignors to C. E. Freeman 00., Inc., San Francisco, Calif., acorporation Application September 27, 1948, Serial No. 51,426

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a spray gun and to a manifold therefor. Moreparticularly, it relates to a manifold for a spray gun of the typewherein a suspension of powdered, fusible material in compressed air isformed, and the same is ejected from the gun together with a burningmixture of oxygen and combustible gas.

In spray guns of this character, means heretofore provided for supplyingthe materials to the gun have been awkward and difficult to manipulate.In spraying a fused solid, such as rubher or metal, on a surface,accurate and rapid control over the supply of solids, air, oxygen andcombustible gas are important to achieve quality work and economy.Control means provided heretofore have not achieved these results.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved type ofspray gun and an improvide manifold therefor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a manifold for aspray gun or the like, which is compact and readily accessible. and canbe manipulated by a single operator to maintain accurate and precisecontrol over delivery of materials to the gun.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a manifold for aspray gun, which is capable of delivering compressed air and powderedsolids, as well as the fuel and oxygen necessary for supplying heat,such manifold being capable of both quick and accurate control of theair and solids and capable of delivering the same in any desiredproportion at the instant needed.

These and other objects of the invention. will be apparent from theensuing description and the appended claims.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the followingdescription and illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the gun and manifold, showing the gun'insection and the manifold partly in section and partly in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the manifold.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the ducts in the manifold.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a complete spray gun system.

Referring now to the drawings, the device of the invention in itspreferred form comprises a gun ID, a handle H and a manifold I2. The gunI 5 is generally of the type described in Sandora application Serial No.767,921, filed August 11, 1947, entitled Spraying Device, and itcomprises a tubular housing [3, co-axially of which is disposed atubular member M. The tube I4 is provided with a tapered flange orcollar l5 to provide an airtight fit with the forward end of thehousing, and at its rearward end it is threaded at l6 so as to beengageable with a nut I! to clamp the tube firmly in the housing and itis provided at its forward end with longitudinal grooves 25.

The tube [4 is provided with a central bore or duct 26 closed at itsrearward end as shown and flared at its forward end at 21, and it isalso provided with spaced annular flanges 28, 29 and 30 defining annularrecesses 31, 32 and 33.. Longitudinal ducts 34 are provided as shown,and radial ducts 35 are provided communicating the annular recess 31with the ducts 34. Radial ducts 36 communicate the annular recess 33with the central duct 26. A sleeve 31 is provided, being threaded to thetube I4 and forming an annular passage 38 communicating with the ducts34. At its forward end at 39, the sleeve 31 is of reduced diameter toprovide an offset continuation of the annular passage 38.

In operation, a suspension of solid material in air enters the gunthrough a duct 45, enters the annular space 33 and passes through thecentral duct 26. Combustible gas enters through a duct 46, enters theannular recess 32 and passes into the ducts 34 where it is mixed withoxygen entering through a duct 41, annular recess 3| and radial ducts35. Combustion occurs at the tip of the tube l4, and maximum efficiencyresults from the manner in which the materials are introduced, andmixed. Among other things, the offset in the annular passage 38resulting from the grooves 25 in the tube I4 and the reduced diameter ofthe sleeve 31, results in considerable economy in the use of oxygen.

The handle portion H of the gun assembly comprises mating portions 48,of which only one is shown, clamped together by means of screws 49.Disposed within the handle are tubes 50, 5| and 52 communicating attheir upper ends with the ducts 45, 46 and 41, respectively, and attheir lower ends with the manifold [2, coupling members 53 beingemployed with the tubes 5| and 52, as shown.

The manifold [2 comprises a block 54 and it is provided with a pluralityof valves and coupling members and is bored to provide a plurality ofducts. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the block 54 is provided withcombustible gas and oxygen ducts 55 and 56 controlled by valves 5'! and58. The ducts 55 and 56 are also provided with coupling members 59 and60.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the block 54 is also provided with anair inlet duct 65 controlled by a valve 66 and having a coupling member61. A branch duct 68 is provided leading from the duct 65 (ahead ofvalve 66) and controlled by a valve 69. A coupling member 10 is providedfor the branch duct 68. A duct H is provided having at one end acoupling member 12 and communicating, at its other end, with the tube50. As illustrated, the air inlet duct 65 opens into the duct H. Asshown in Fig. l, combustible gas and oxygen enter the manifold throughtubes 86 and 8|, re-

, spectively, from any suitable source (not shown).

abandoned, entitled Dispenser for Dust and the Like. The dust or finelydivided solid which it is desired to spray is contained in the dispenser84, and a suspension of the dust in air is formed therein and is carriedthrough a tube 85 to the manifold and thence to the gun.

It will be apparent that, by closing valve 66 and opening valve 69, allthe air will be sent to the dispenser 84, and that by opening valve 66and closing valve 69, all the air will bypass the dispenser and godirectly to the gun. By appropriate adjustment of valves 66 and 69, anydesired proportion of air may be sent to the dispenser or bypass thedispenser. This provides an important operating advantage, in that theoperator is enabled to maintain constant, rapid control over the spraygun.

It will also be apparent that, by mounting the combustible gas andoxygen control valves on or adjacent to the manifold block 54, all ofthe necessary controls are brought within a small compass, thusobviating the necessity of two operators, or of moving the gun from thepoint of spraying to a distant control point.

While we have shown the preferred form of our invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made in its construction by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spiritof the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

7 Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spray gun assembly comprising a tubular gun adapted to deliver asuspension of fusible dust material in compressed air and to provide aflame for heating and fusing the dust, said gun having separate inletsfor oxygen, fuel gas and an air-material-mixture; a handle fixed to saidgun and having an air-material-mixture duct, an oxygen duct, and a fuelgas duct communicating with said air-material-mixture, oxygen, fuel gasinlets respectively; a manifold fixed to the handle of the gun, saidmanifold having an air-materialmixture outlet, an oxygen outlet and afuel gas outlet communicating with said air-materialmixture, oxygen andgas ducts respectively, said manifold also having an air inlet, an airoutlet, an air-material-mixture inlet, ducts intercommunicating said airinlet with said air outlet and said air-material-mixture outlet, a ductcommunicating said air-material-mixture inlet with 4saidair-material-mixture outlet and a valve in each of saidintercommunicating ducts for controlling the flcw of air from the airinlet to said air-material-mixture outlet and the air outlet; a vesselfor holding a supply of fusible dust material; lines communicating saidair outlet and said air-material-mixture inlet with said vessel tosupply air to said vessel and to supply a mixture of air and material tothe air-material-mixture inlet; said manifold also being provided withoxygen and fuel supply means including an oxygen inlet and valve and afuel gas inlet and valve for controlling the supply of oxygen and fuelgas to said oxygen and fuel gas outlets and the ducts respectively.

2. A spray gun assembly comprising a tubular gun adapted to deliver asuspension of fusible dust material in compressed air and to provide aflame for heating and fusing the dust, said gun having a handle andseparate passageways in the handle for oxygen, fuel gas, and anair-material mixture, a manifold fixed to the handle of the gun, saidmanifold having an air-material mixture outlet, an oxygen outlet and afuel gas outlet communicating with the air-material mixture, oxygen andgas passageways, respectively, said manifold also having an air inlet,an air outlet, an air-material mixture inlet, ducts intercommunicatingsaid air inlet with said air outlet and said air-material mixtureoutlet, a duct communicating said air-material mixture inlet with saidair-material mixture outlet and a valve in each of saidintercommunicating ducts for controlling the flow of air from the airinlet to said air-material mixture outlet and'the air outlet, a vesselfor holding a supply of fusible dust material, lines communicating saidair outlet and said air-material mixture inlet with said vessel tosupply air to said vessel and to supply a mixture of air and material tothe air-material mixture inlet, said manifold also being provided withto said oxygen and fuel gas outlets and the associated passageways inthe handle.

3. A spray gun assembly comprising a tubular gun adapted to deliver asuspension'of fusible dust material in compressed air and to provide afiame for heating and fusing the dust, said gun having a handle andseparate passageways in the handle for oxygen, fuel gas, and anair-material mixture, a manifold fixed to the handle of the gun, saidmanifold comprising a block bored to provide an air-material mixturepassage therethrough communicating at one end with the airmaterialmixture passageway, a first air passage through the block adapted tocommunicate at oneend with a source of air supply, a second air passagein said block communicating with the first air passage and saidair-material mixture passage, a valve in each air passage forcontrolling the flow of air to said air-material mixture passage and tothe first air passage, a vessel for holding a supply of fusible dustmaterial communicating with the first air passage and the other end ofsaid air-material mixture passage to thereby be supplied with air fromthe first air passage and to supply a mixture of air and materialto theair-material mixture passage, said block also having an oxygen passagetherethrough and a fuel passage therethrough, respectively,communicating with the oxygen and fuel gas passageways in said handle,and a valve in each 'of the latter-named passages for controlling thesupply of oxygen and fuel gas to the gun.

MANUEL A. SANDORA. CECIL E. FREEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1,617,166

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